Exploring the Emerald Isle: My Experience Traveling to Ireland

When deciding where to go on my next vacation, I asked myself two questions: Where is somewhere I have always wanted to go but just haven’t made it there yet and what is stopping me? The answer? Ireland and nothing! From the views to the live music to the history, I knew Ireland was the next place I had to check off my bucket list and I am so glad I did. This was by far my favorite trip to date! Ireland has a lot of wonderful cities and towns to visit so I decided to bounce around a few versus staying in one spot. First up: Dublin.

Dublin

Out of all the places I visited in Ireland, Dublin was my least favorite, but not for any bad reason. I just spent the least amount of time there and didn’t get to experience as much as the other cities I went to. All the more reason to go back and stay longer! 🙂 Anyway, as a female solo traveler, the first thing I had to consider is where I’d be staying. I try my best to stay in generally well-lit and easily accessible areas since I am usually on my own. Admittedly, my first choice is always a hotel, but when traveling on a budget, I’m not above staying in a hostel. Friendly warning: You get what you pay for.

The particular hostel I stayed in for 3 days was not the best or cleanest place I’ve ever stayed, but for the price, I got used to it. A couple of bright spots were the location, where everything was within walking distance, and the bus stop was just a few steps to the left of the front door, so when it was time to check out, I didn’t have to lug my suitcase very far. When it comes to transportation, I used a few modes, including Free Now, Bus Eireann, Irish Citylink, and the Irish Rail. The staff was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable as far as making recommendations for activities, which is always a plus! Speaking of activities:

Guinness Storehouse:

Undoubtedly the most iconic beer in all of Ireland (and possibly the world?), Guinness Storehouse is a stop you will surely want to add to your itinerary. For only €26, I was able to tour the Guinness brewery, see how the beer is made from start to finish, and ended at the rooftop bar overlooking Dublin City with a free pint of Guinness. For just a couple euros more, you can even get your face added to the foam! Personally, I don’t enjoy beer at all (!!!), but this experience was very cool and I would absolutely do it again! (And in case you were wondering, after a few photos, the pint of Guinness went to a good home with the lovely couple at the next table haha).

Jameson:

If you aren’t the biggest fan of beer (like myself), then maybe whiskey is more your taste? Enter the Jameson Irish Whiskey Distillery Tour for just €26, an equally pleasant experience filled with history, the whiskey making process, a trip to the tasting room, and ending with…you guessed it! A free Jameson drink at the end of the tour. Don’t forget to stop at the gift shop on your way out, and get a personalized bottle for the Irish whiskey lover in your life 🙂

Trinity College: Book of Kells

To all the history/literature buffs of the world, Trinity College Dublin is a fascinating place to check out. It is home to one of the oldest and most beautiful libraries I have ever seen. I was in heaven! haha The Book of Kells is also a pretty neat exhibit to check out. This visually stunning manuscript contains the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John) of the New Testament, is written in Latin, and is believed to have been written around 800 AD. All in all, it’s a relatively quick walk through the entire exhibit, but it was worth the €18.50 entry fee, in my opinion.

Grafton Street:

If you are looking to get a bit of shopping done on your trip to Dublin, I highly recommend Grafton Street. Suggested by one of the friendliest taxi drivers I’ve ever met, this bustling street is full of stores, restaurants, bars, and musicians/street entertainers. Word is every now and then, you might just see somebody famous busking on a sidewalk, entertaining the masses 🙂

My last stop on my stay in Dublin was actually a 25 min train ride to the fishing village of Howth (pronounced Hote, like boat).

Howth:

Through Airbnb Experiences, I was able to book a coastal hike with incredible views and the cutest 4-legged tour guide in the land haha Loki was the best host and you had better not question his choices, just go with it 😉 This hike was about 3 hours and worth every break, every “You guys go ahead, I’ll be right there” in between breaths, and every picture taken at the top. Zack, the human tour guide, has a wealth of knowledge and stories about the area and can answer any question you throw at him. Overall, this experience was 10/10, highly recommend!

Next stop: Limerick